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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

When I decided to create this blog I was thinking of all the information and photographs I could share on my ancestors. After I posted about the tomato gravy and shared photos of the few dishes I have that belonged to my Aunt Gypsie I thought of the other treasures I have of loved ones.

Some are sprinkled throughout my home while others are tucked away in drawers and a cedar chest. I am comforted by the thought of my family here with me every day.

This also reminded me of a program I gave for my genealogical society called "Creative Ways to Display Your Family History." I will try to dig that up and share with you.

Monday, July 11, 2011

One of my favorite records to research is the census. They are little time capsules. One of the lessons I learned early on is that you have to prove what you find. Sometimes even in a record.

An example is this 1900 Federal census taken in Dale County, Alabama. While it shows my Great Great grandparents, Wilburn and Mollie Snell, as being married 9 years, which is true, I can tell you those are not her 8 children. I would not know this until I had also documented Wilburn's first marriage. In fact, only the last 4 are from this marriage to my ancestor, Mollie.

And there is my Great grandfather, Jamie Wesley, as a 6 year old. I barely remember him, mostly his funeral, when I was a small child. I always thought of him as old, but there he is, a child himself.

Photos were given to me after the death of my great aunt Lucille in 2003. Lucille Howard was born 1912 in Geneva County, Alabama. She married Mikle Oran Register in 1928. He died in 1972. In 1981 she married Ernest Boyett. He died in 1990. Aunt Lucille lived most of her life in the Slocomb, Geneva County, Alabama area. I know she lived in Columbus, Georgia for some years and worked at Tom Houston. Please help me identify these people.

GeneaBloggers Daily Blogging Prompt
...Mystery Monday is where you can post about mystery ancestors or mystery records – anything in your genealogy and family history research which is currently unsolved. This is a great way to get your fellow genealogy bloggers to lend their eyes to what you’ve found so far and possibly help solve the mystery...

Sunday, July 10, 2011

I have no Kansas roots, but my husband does, so this is a nice online resource.

The Kansas Collection, Kenneth Spencer Library, University of Kansas, houses and provides access to an extensive collection of Sanborn maps for 241 Kansas towns and cities covering a period from 1883 through the 1930s. With funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the maps from 1883 – 1922 are now digitally available to researchers everywhere through this website.

History of the Maps

The Sanborn Map Company, of Pelham, New York, began surveying the business districts of cities and towns across the United States in the late 1860s. Their intent was to provide insurance underwriters with detailed information about the locations of businesses, the structures they were located in, and any information needed to assess their liability for insurance purposes.

Surveyors noted the size, shape, and construction of homes, commercial buildings and factories, the location of windows and doors, the existence of sprinkler systems and fire walls, the types of roofs, the widths and names of streets, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers.

While growing up summertime meant visiting relatives. Some of my favorite childhood memories take me back to the dirt roads in rural Holmes County, Florida to visit my Great Aunt Gypsie and Uncle Willie Smith. Aunt Gypsie was the 9th of 18 children, born in 1906, to George Washington Stafford with his second wife, Nancy Commander. Uncle Willie loved to tell stories and hand out quarters to us children.

Aunt Gypsie’s table offered a full tummy and left over sugar biscuits for between meal snacks. She often served tomato gravy at breakfast time. A few family members, including my Mama, cooked it with a little flour to thicken, but I like it plain. Most people outside of the south have never heard of it.

After her death I received a few of Aunt Gypsie’s dishes. Each time I use her bowl I am drawn back to those dusty summer days filled with family, love and the comfort of home cooking. I have never seen this dish, or many others, measured out and she used home canned tomatoes.

These are my measurements to serve over 2 homemade biscuits. It’s very forgiving and you can tweak it as needed for the amount desired. The simplicity of the bacon and tomato flavors together are what I love about it.

Fry the bacon to render the fat [several tablespoons]. Set bacon aside. Pour tomatoes into the bacon fat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add bacon to skillet. Cook for 10 minutes breaking the tomatoes down with a wooden spoon. Serve over biscuits. Enjoy.
~~~
What is a sugar biscuit? Take a left over biscuit, poke a hole in it with your finger and fill the hole with sugar! Yum!

-1870 Dale County, Alabama Census; Skipperville, 16 years old. Born in Alabama. Can read and write. Works on farm. 1 of 4 children listed.

-1880 Dale County, Alabama Census: listed as 26 years old, born in Alabama. Father born in Alabama, mother born in South Carolina. Wife Martha and daughter Eron (Era)

-1900 Dale County, Alabama Census: listed as 46, born June 1853 in Alabama. Father born in Alabama, mother born in South Carolina. Married 9 years. 8 of 8 children living.

-1910 Geneva County, Alabama Census: 56 years old. Married 19 years. Born in Alabama. Father born in Alabama, mother born in South Carolina.

-1920 Washington County, Florida: 66 years old. Born in Alabama. Father born in Alabama. Mother born in South Carolina. Farmer. Married to Ella. Baud and Mattie live at home.

His Florida death certificate lists his parents as "don't know" by a M. Philips [hard to read]. It was ammended in March 1979 to list his parents, by Ida Holley. It is possible this was done to prove the generation for Creek Indian research. I have been told we have family members that have proven our Creek heritage through the line of Mary DuBois, but they refuse to share with others.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

I'd like for you to meet some of my ancestors. I will be sharing about them on this blog. Most of my research is centered in Southeast Alabama, Southwest Georgia and the Florida panhandle, along with parts of North and South Carolina.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I didn't always enjoy spending time in cemeteries. Genealogy came first. Visits in those early years were to find a specific person, take a photograph for my records and leave. Somewhere along the way that all changed.

Cemeteries can offer an afternoon of discovery. There is beauty and art to be found in the old stones and epitaphs. Stop by and visit me.

It's only appropriate that my first genealogy post be in honor of my Mama. I never could have imagined how she shaped the person I am until she was no longer with me. I miss you, Mama. You left us much too soon.